Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget was inspired by a live action show from the 1960's called 'Get Smart'. It starred Don Adams as Maxwell Smart and seems to have a similar storyline - spies, gadgets that don't work and things working out in the end. It was so inspired, that they used Don Adams to voice Gadget! It seems that this was the thing to do in those days, as a similar thing happened with Sergeant Bilko / Top Cat (but for this series, they used Private Doberman to voice Benny the Ball). This wasn't the only thing that they borrowed, does the Dr Claw remind you of anyone? Think Spy Film and only seeing the baddie from the back and stroking a cat. Sound too much like Ernst Blofeld, who starred in a number of James Bond Films. Would they get away with this inspiration/borrowing now days? Who knows? I have read that the second season of Inspector Gadget wasn't a patch on the first and that the quality of the shows plummeted, plus the format of the show was changed. I have never seen these shows, but if what I read is true, then I'm glad that I've never witnessed them. My heart and mind stay true to the original Inspector Gadget Series. Over the years Gadget has been wheeled out in a number of other forms, but I have yet to see them in full to give an informed opinion. - Inspector Gadgets Field Trip - Gadget and the Gadgetinis - Gadget Boy and Heather Gadget has proved so popular that 2 live action movies have been made about him by Disney. So keep an eye out, you never know when another new series might start. Story Inspector Gadget works for the US Government. He injured himself by slipping on a banana skin, but luckily the Government put him back together. They surgically enhanced him, with special gadgets, which gave him super abilities. But one thing it didn't give him was the ability to stop being accident prone. Poor Gadget is not a natural crime fighter and instead bumbles his way through life accidentally avoiding danger. Luckily his niece Penny keeps an eye on her Uncle by looking after him. She is the real hero of the group. If Uncle Gadget is in trouble, she uses her electronic book and her brains to get him out of it. But you would think that Gadget would notice that she is helping him, but No, he is so wrapped up in his own self importance, that he thinks that it is his own skill that is getting him out of dangerous situation. That's exactly how Penny likes it, as she loves her uncle dearly and would never dream of telling him that she is the one solving the crimes and getting him out of danger. If Gadget knew, he would be gutted, but I don't think he would believe her anyway. Luckily Penny is helped by their extremely smart dog called Brains, who can even communicate with Penny in a strange dog like way. This was another cartoon that came up with some general advice to kids, to keep safe (don't swim out to far etc). Most of these things were well known to most kids out there, but they rammed it down your neck for good measure. But it seemed that cartoon explosions and violence was ok? Go figure!